When you learn how to suffer, you suffer much less

| BLOG | Meditation

What is it you practise Scarlett? I’ve had a few messages recently enquiring about my practise, Buddhism and meditation. I thought I’d share just a snapshot of my practise over the last five years.

Learn how to suffer less

Science of the Mind

I will always refer to myself as a beginner; five years in or fifty-five. Part of this practise is to always arrive with a beginner’s mind. Renew. I practise Zen Buddhism, zen is the Japanese pronunciation for the Chinese word for meditation. It is a focused, non-compromising discipline in which teacher passes down to disciple the essence of practise through experience. It’s origins are in Japan. The practice is meditation. “Sitting Zen” (Japanese: zazen) has always been central in Zen training centres, where monks rise early each morning for meditation practice and do long retreats consisting of many, many silent unmoving hours on the cushion.

My practise is blended with Tibetan influences through Dzogchen. This practise originates from India and the Holy Dalai Lama. Tibetan Buddhism takes as its motivating spiritual ideal, the way of the bodhisattva, the altruistic intention to attain enlightenment for all beings. All Tibetan traditions place special emphasis on the teacher-student relationship. This distinctive approach is based on the Indian ideal of the guru (Lama in Tibetan). Zen and Tibetan practices are comparable but with differences. I am lucky to be a student under the teachings of many incredible teachers. Both practices blend Dharma and Meditation. We practise compassion, commitment, awareness, attention, true mindfulness. We learn to sit in our own suffering in the worlds suffering around us. Our practices send healing energy and prayer to the world. Our practice is not of selfish benefit; it is to benefit the world with our own awakening. We learn the importance of death and dying. This is not some morbid fascination – on the contrary, a proper understanding of the subject is held to be indispensable towards having a fuller, happier life and a vital part of practice. The Dalai Lama describes Tibetan Buddhism as the “science of the mind”, learning to train the mind for the benefit of all sentient beings.

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